Gator News

February 23rd - 2nd Annual Winter Carnival!

February 26-March 4 Winter Break (No School)

March 5: No School! Town Meeting Day. Please VOTE!

March 14: Rising 9th Grade Caregiver Night 6:00-7:30 PM

March 21: Early Release Day

March 22: Caregiver Conference Day (No School)

April 1 - April 4: VTCAP ELA and Math Assessments

April 8: Early Release Day - Solar Eclipse

April 9 - 10: VTCAP Science Assessments (Grades 5 & 8 Only)

April 15: Originally an Early Release Day is NOW a FULL School Day!

April 22 - 26: No School - Spring Recess

May 20: Early Release Day

May 27: Memorial Day - No School

June 18: 8th Grade Promotion (Half Day for 8th Graders)

June 19: Expected Last Day of school and Step Up Day (Grades 5, 6, & 7)

See Ya Later, Gators! Enjoy your WINTER BREAK!

Just a few quick updates as you settle into your well-earned break!

Welcome to Ben Matchstick! Ben will be taking over the reigns of Team Nebula's 7th and 8th Grade ELA classes when we return from break. He comes to us with a wealth of experience and love of adolescence. We're so excited to have him as a part of the team. (And a big thanks to our school's permanent Substitute, Cheryl Tetreault, for filling in the gap after Mr. Lucas's abrupt leave.)

See a quick bio and pic of Ben below!

Have a great break! Please take time to VOTE on March 5th (or beforehand at the Town Offices)...you're vote matters!

Best, Julie

Ben has worked as a youth advocate, librarian, cafe owner, educator, puppeteer, artist, and entrepreneur in Vermont for 20+ years. He is the founder of Cardboard Teck, an afterschool and summer classroom and game studio located at the Center for Arts and Learning in Montpelier Ben has worked as an artist-in-residence, a summer camp director, a children’s librarian at Kellogg-Hubbard Library and as a substitute teacher at MSMS since 2021.

Ben is the co-creator (with Pete Talbot) of the award-winning PinBox 3000 cardboard tabletop pinball machine kit. Ben is the production and media manager and storyteller for the PinBox 3000, which has sold over 25,000 units since its invention in 2015.

Ben co-conceived Hadestown (with Anaïs Mitchell), now on Broadway. Hadestown began in Central Vermont and went on to win 8 Tony awards. He was a traveling company member with Bread & Puppet Theater for 4 years and 8 summers. He is a proud member of Generator Maker Space in Burlington Vermont.

He graduated with a BA in Theater from Northwestern University, and holds a MFA in Interdisciplinary Art from Goddard College.

A huge success. Thanks to the 7th grade French Students and Madam Kahn for putting on a great event. Thank you to the countless Caregivers volunteering to help things run smoothly. What a fun tradition!

2024-2025 Choice Article-Solon Salutes.doc.pdf

Gator gear we have a school store open and ready to go!

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/vermont/montpelier/main-street-middle-school

Part of the proceeds kick back to the school so not only will you be able to show off your Gator pride but you'll be helping out the teams as well!

Cough drops

I hope you all have been enjoying the recent sunshine as much as I have. Despite the brighter weather, we're still seeing cold symptoms, including sore throat and cough. If your student needs cough drops at school, cough drops need to be dropped off in the health office by an adult and an over the counter medication form needs to be signed by the caregiver. Cough drops can then be dispensed to the student throughout the day by the nurse. The nurse does not have a school supply of cough drops, and students may not carry cough drops in school. Here is a link to the over the counter medicine form that can be filled out ahead of time: OTC medication form.

We encourage students to bring a water bottle and drink water throughout the day to soothe a minor cough or sore throat. If your student needs a water bottle, they can request one from MSMS Sustain here.

Crutches

A reminder that students may only use crutches in school when a written healthcare provider's order for crutches has been given to the school nurse. Crutches are not supplied by the school nurse. Please contact the school nurse directly if your student will need to use crutches in school so that appropriate accommodations can be made.

The Montpelier Roxbury School District Board of School Directors is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 6:30 pm. This meeting will be held at Montpelier High School and virtually.

Additionally, the Montpelier Roxbury School District Board of School Directors Finance Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 5:30 pm. This meeting will be held at Montpelier High School.

Please find the agendas for these meetings attached and visit https://www.mrpsvt.org/school-board for more information.

Instagram: MainStreetMiddleSchoolVT

Facebook: Main Street Middle School

MRPS BLOG: Visit https://www.smore.com/7agn0 and subscribe!

Main Street Middle School Webpage

MRPS Webpage

MSMS Athletics Webpage

2023-2024 MRPS School Calendar

MRPS Power School Portal

MSMS Bus Routes

MSMS Food Services

MRPS Student Support Services: Special Education Handbook for Caregivers

Caregiver Reporting: If you believe you have witnessed or experienced discrimination, bias-based harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, or bullying at MRPS, please report it to a school administrator as possible. If you do not feel comfortable reporting in person, please complete this reporting form. If you have any questions please contact MRPS Director of Social Emotional Learning & Wellness, Jessica Murray, at jessicamurray@mpsvt.org or (802) 505 0435.

All MRPS schools will release students early on Monday, April 8, 2024 to observe the solar eclipse. We will have a full school day on Monday, April 15, 2024, the originally scheduled early release day. (Your school) will release students at (time) on Monday, April 8, 2024. All Gators will get a pair of glasses for them to observe the eclipse from home.

RPC+ TIPS for Tuning In: Starting March 5th in Barre

is 10-week long workshop that educates foster, adoptive and kin caregivers about

the impact of trauma on the development, attachment, emotions and behaviors of

the children in their care. The workshop will provide a safe space for caregivers to

access compassionate training, learn concrete strategies to manage daily and

ongoing challenges, enhance relationships with their children and build a network

of support and connections with fellow caregivers.

To register or information:

Megan McKeever or Erin Joslin (476-1480)

Every season, Girls on the Run creates a safe and FUN place for girls of all abilities to make new friends, establish healthy habits and challenge themselves with personal goals. Spaces are limited so register now for our spring season at gotrvt.org.

Registration opens at gotrvt.org on Wednesday, February 21st at 7 am for grades 3rd - 5th.

Our season begins the week of March 18 and is 10 weeks long. Our team will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays from 3:15 pm-4:45 pm. Movement is woven into our games and activities to empower students to feel greater self-worth! The season culminates with our team crossing the finish line at GOTRVT’s 5K Celebration.

The registration fee is $130. GOTRVT provides financial assistance directly on the registration form for qualifying families. Please contact GOTRVT directly at 802-871-5664 regarding financial assistance options.

Questions? Contact Coach Brooke Miller at bives13@gmail.com or 512-626-4676.

The tournament is open to Vermont students in grades K through 12. Participants must be Vermont residents or be enrolled in a Vermont public or private school. No prior tournament experience is necessary. High School and 8th Grade sections will be USCF rated, and current USCF membership is required for participation in those sections. K-7th Grade sections will be unrated, and USCF membership is not required in those sections.

In addition, Craftsbury Academy will be hosting a 6th - 12th Grade Winter Scholastic Chess Tournament on Sunday, January 28th for anyone who would like to compete before the State Tournament.

Individual and team prizes will be awarded. The registration page for both events can be found at https://vermontchess.org/.

In preparation for these events, Craftsbury Chess Club coach Andras Hadik-Barkoczy andrashb1976@gmail.com will be adding extra chess club meetings to prepare K-12 students for the state tournament:

March 12th 3pm- 4pm
March 19th 3pm – 4pm

1.We have switched over to a new online registration site for all of MSMS sports teams. Please go to:

NEW MRPS Athletic Registration Site

Follow the directions on the homepage to sign up. A quick tutorial of how the process will go (if you have signed up your student on this site due to them playing a fall sport, you do not need to do anything! We will input them on the appropriate team once the season begins):

• Visit the site or download the Rank One app and follow the directions to create an account
• When are asked to "claim" your student enter your student's date of birth, their first and last name.
• Fill out the forms/enter student information and agree to required paperwork
• Required information: current insurance & physical information. (let us know if we need to transfer a physical from the old registration system)

***Both caregivers and student-athletes should download the Rank One app for your phone to get notifications regarding your team. You can access the site via a computer but the quickest way is through the app.

2. Sports we offer at the MS in the spring starting 3/25 (3/18 for baseball)are:

• Softball (6/7/8th grade) *We may not have enough for a team, if that is the case we would send to U-32*
• Baseball (7/8th grade)
• Track and Field (5/6/7/8th grade)
• Boys' Lacrosse (5/6/7/8th grade)
• Ultimate (5/6/7/8th grade)
• If you have interest in girls' lacrosse, please reach out and let me know.
• Volleyball (See below)

***OPEN COACHING POSITIONS AT THE MS

MS Volleyball Coach (March-April)

3. Meet the Spring Coaches Night will be on Tuesday 3/12 at 5:15 for the MS at the MHS!

4. Important VPA Policies were added regarding non-binary athletes and second is about student-athletes' Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and how that may affect their eligibility and what is permitted by the VPA in relation to that. Information on both of these new acts can be found by going to: VPA Policies (Non-Binary policy page 3, NIL page 9)

5. General information on the spring season and the sports we offer can be found in the slideshow which is linked below. Some items that will be reviewed in the slideshow are:

• Important Athletic Handbook policies and procedures
• Sports we offer here
• Academic Policy
• Attendance Policy
• Hazing
• Communication plan for parents and players
• Drugs/Alcohol Policy
• Registering for sports (Info on this is also below in the email)
• Contact information for the the Athletic Department
• Click here for the MSMS Sports Athletic Handbook Slideshow

6. Volleyball at MSMS: we are looking to do the MS volleyball season again in March. The season is very quick (when we get back from winter break to the first week of April) and the hope is we end up with around 5-6 matches while practicing 2-3 times. If you or your student has interest in this program, please reach out to me! Program will run if enough are interested AND a coach is found. If you have interest in coaching or know of anyone with interest, please let me know!

7. Our online calendar with practices and games can be found at Montpelierschools.tandem.co All games and practices will be updated there as we get closer to the season. All HS games are currently on the calendar for all sports.

Thank you and I look forward to watching our Gators play this season!

--

Matt Link (he/his/him)

Athletic Director

Main Street Middle School

802-225-8019